Mansfield Schools' Next Step Program Teaching Life Skills to Students with Disabilities

The Next Steps program in Mansfield is dedicated to teaching students with disabilities life skills they need.

Heidi Egan, M. Ed, Special Education Teacher, runs the program for Mansfield, which places students in volunteer positions for job preparation. The program deals with students aged 18-22.

"Currently, we are volunteering at Aunt Aleda's Bakery, Grogan's, Stefano's Pizza, Curves, Magic Pizza, Mansfield Deli and the Our Daily Bread Food Pantry," she said. "We also do mailing jobs for different businesses throughout the year."

Once the students receive their certificate of Attendance, they enter into the Next Steps Program, which provides instruction in the areas of academics, daily living skills, social skills, and vocational training.  

The curriculum areas addressed are Functional Academics, Daily Living Skills, Community Awareness, Leisure Skills, Social Interactions, and Vocational Development.

Rather than being taught in isolation, skills are taught in complex arrays that lead to current and future independence for each student. Interdisciplinary units around common themes are used and are modified for each individual student based on his/her Individualized Education Plan.

In addition to basic work skills, students are learning to be active and productive members of the community. 

Through vocational explorations using the internet as well as community trips, students learn about jobs within the community.  Based on student preference surveys and internships available in the community, students are placed at an appropriate job site.

They learn the skills of filling out an application, completing a resume, interviewing and the skills required to perform the job. Various social language skills such as greeting coworkers, opening conversations, maintaining conversations, and closing topics are also taught in natural contexts. Job coaching is slowly reduced allowing natural supports to increase independence. 

Students may try a number of different jobs based on their personal preference and abilities.

JOB DESCRIPTIONS

MHS Jobs

CAFETERIA JOBS           

• Dish Room            
• Stock coolers                                                
• Dishes
• Set up tables            
• Snacks                                                                                                                       
• Plastic ware                       
• Folding Towels
• Stock ice cream
• Sweep floors
• Wipe down counters

STAFF LOUNGE                       

• Vacuum or Sweep floor
• Wash the table
• Wash the counter and sink
• Fill the copy machine
• Check for old food in the refrigerator

NURSE ASSISTANT

• Stock feminine products in girls bathrooms
• Wipe down beds

COPY/LAMINATING ASSISTANT

• Gets papers that need to be copied from other teachers.
• Use a copy machine to make the copies for the teachers.
• Deliver the papers to the teachers when the copying is finished.
• Deliver laminating to teacher’s mailboxes

OFFICE ASSISTANT

• Files notes and mail into the red folder.
• Greets people as they enter the office.
• Delivers mail to the teachers’ mailboxes.
• Puts paper into the copy machine and printer.

CLASSROOM ASSISTANT

• Wash tables and desks
• Fold clothes
• Wash dishes
• Clean counters
• Wash windows
• Sweep floor

PRINT SHOP                                   

• Book Binding
• Copy Assistant
• PDP Certificates
• Filling Copiers and Printers

RECYCLING           

• Library and main office daily                        
• Tuesday- First Floor
• Thursday- Second Floor                                    

PUBLIC RELATIONS                                   

• Email the Hornet’s Buzz with            news from Project Teammate           
• Project Teammate bulletin board
• District wide bulletin boards
• Advertisement for other services           
• School store set up
• Shredding Service                                                           

SHREDDING                       

• District wide
• Recycling store on Fridays

ATHLETIC DEPT ASSISTANT           

• Bulletin Boards for the gym           
• Cut out articles about our sports teams
• Email JV and Freshman news to the Hornet’s Buzz
• Stats for athletic teams
• Football/Basketball player of the week
• Ice Bags
• Laundry

PE ASSISTANT                                   

• Set-up for gym class,
• Set-up for the next group, clean the fitness room,
• Organize the equipment closet,
• Wash the mirrors in the dance room

Mansfield School District Jobs:

JJ & ROBINSON CAFETERIA

• Dish room
• Fold dish towels
• Milk coolers
• Clean tables
• Food prep
• Set up cafeteria            
• Stock the backroom room/canned goods and no perishables                        
• Sweep the floors

JJ AND ROBINSON CUSTODIAL ASSISTANT

• Line trash bags
• Set up tables
• Deliver packages
• Wash windows

QMS MUSIC & THEATRE ARTS ASSISTANT           

• Organize closet
• Sort costumes/props
• Organize music sheets

ROBINSON LITTLE HORNETS           

• Assist with the children
• Set up for snack
• Sort art work
• Story time /circle time
• Set up for nap time                        
• Supervise recess

BICO CLASSROOM ASSISTANT

• Help the students off the bus
• Attend inclusion classes (homeroom)
• Social skills groups

ROBINSON CLASSROOM ASSISTANT                       

• Set up classroom
• Laminating
• Photocopying
• Cleaning

ROBINSON ART DEPARTMENT ASSISTANT            

• Create bulletin Boards
• Clean art supplies

BUILDINGS & GROUNDS OFFICE ASSISTANT

• Filing
• Wash windows
• Build furniture
• Take out trash
• Deliver packages

COMMUNITY JOBS

MANSFIELD SHREDDING STORE

• Sort papers
• Shred
• Greet/help customers
• Inventory

ANSWER IS FITNESS- Attleboro, MA

• Wipe down machines
• Rack the weights
• Greet customers
• Take out the trash
• Wash mirrors/windows

STEFANO’S PIZZA

• Fold pizza boxes
• Turn labels on drink coolers
• Wash tables and chairs
• Wash glass on drink and ice cream cases
• Stock napkins
• Organize snacks

FOOD PANTRY

• Stock shelves
• Prepare bags

 MAGIC PIZZA

• Fold pizza boxes
• Turn labels on drink coolers
• Wash tables and chairs
• Wash glass on drink and ice cream cases
• Stock napkins
• Organize snacks

GROGAN MARCIANO’S SPORTING GOODS STORE

• Take inventory
• Hang clothes
• Fold clothes
• Sort equipment
• Vacuum
• Take out trash
• Put price tags on items

CHIC 2 CHIC

• Take inventory
• Hang clothes
• Fold clothes
• Sort clothes
• Vacuum
• Take out trash
• Put price tags on items

AUNT ALEDAS BAKERY

• Fold boxes
• Fill food trays
• Clean windows
• Wipe down tables/chairs
• Fill sugar packets/jelly
• Food Prep
• Bus tables

CURVES

• Wipe down machines
• Organize magazines
• Work out

A new addition to the Next Steps Program has been the collaboration at Bridgewater State University.  Currently, the students are enrolled in both the Self-Advoacy and Transition At Bridgewater (TAB) programs; which are both held on the Bridgewater State University campus every other Friday. Students collaborate with area schools and learn the skills they need in regards to self-advocacy, vocational, social and daily living skills. In addition, the students spend time with their former classmates from Mansfield High School and have the opportunity to eat lunch with them in the BSU cafeteria.